A weekend venture that never closed.
Price-Less Building Center started in 1978 as a weekend operation and went full-time in 1982. The cabinet-manufacturing arm, Builders Corner, opened in 1983. Decades later, the same building on Washington Street still does the same thing: surplus and cancelled-order building materials at warehouse prices.
A weekend operation on Washington Street.
Price-Less Building Center opened in 1978 as a weekend venture, selling discounted and surplus building materials out of the same Wausau address it still occupies today. The model from day one was simple: cancelled-order, surplus, and overstock material from the same manufacturers supplying the national chains, sold for what the big-box wouldn't.
By 1982 the demand was steady enough to go full-time. A year later, in 1983, the cabinet-manufacturing arm — Builders Corner — opened in the same building.
New ownership, same building, same idea.
In May 2019, the business was acquired by three partners: Jamus Baumgardt, Josh Nickel, and Justin Jolin. They kept the storefront, the buying relationships, and the focus on surplus inventory.
Sales grew roughly 40% through the pandemic year that followed, as central Wisconsin homeowners and contractors leaned harder on local supply. (Source: The Business News, May 2021.)
Three brands, one address.
Four SquaredAt 825 Washington Street you'll find three related operations: Price-Less Building Center for surplus retail; Builders Corner Cabinetry & Design for custom kitchens and baths; and Four Squared Construction, the install crew run by Josh Nickel.
Most projects use more than one. Walk in for a vanity, leave with a designer's number. Walk in for a quote, leave with a stack of doors.
Build Your Future.
In June 2023, more than 50 community volunteers painted the “Build Your Future” mural on the warehouse wall. The artist behind it is Stephanie Kohli of Stephanie Kohli Art LLC.
“Trades is a dying breed. So we want to do something that represents what us hard-working guys do.”
Partnered with WAOW 9 to give a local family free groceries for a year. It's the kind of thing a building supply company shouldn't have a reason to do, and exactly the reason we did it.
After a customer dressed as Santa came in for a front door, the team built out a full holiday workshop in the showroom. WSAW covered it.
The first Easter Bunny visit, also covered by WSAW. As Josh told the station: “It's pure joy. It's not a staged smile.”
The holiday workshop returned, with families coming in from across central Wisconsin.
Run by the partners.
Price-Less Building Center, Builders Corner Cabinetry & Design, and Four Squared Construction share the building at 825 Washington and are run by the partner group. Most customers meet whoever's on the floor that day, not the same person every time.
“It takes a village to make small businesses successful. We couldn't do it without you. We look forward to serving the Wausau and surrounding areas.”
The fastest way to meet the people on the floor is to come walk the warehouse on a Wednesday.
Beyond the doors and cabinets.
Come walk the warehouse.
Open Monday through Saturday. The coffee pot is on and the load bay is open.
825 Washington St · Wausau, WI 54403 · (715) 848-3855